Transitioning from Antiperspirant to Deodorant: Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant

~ stashy

Finally, the third part of my three-part series in transitioning from antiperspirants to deodorants. Today I’m reviewing the Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Grapefruit:
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It retails for $17 CAD for a sizable 57g of solid deodorant stick. In Canada, I’ve only seen Lavanila deodorants sold at Sephora.

To recap, I’ve been on the journey to transition from antiperspirants to deodorants since January. After a bit of starts and stops (I gave up after a week of feeling wet and stinky), but after trying other deodorants, I finally persisted with the transition. And I’m proud to say that I’ve been using only deodorant 100% of the time for an entire month now! 😀 What really helped was using the Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant.
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This deodorant is probably one of the more well-known natural options on the market and has won multiple beauty awards. The claims of this deodorant are:

Finally, a natural deodorant that works. Get superior odor protection with this 100 percent natural, freshly scented deodorant. Soothing essential oils blend with beta-glucan technology fight odor effectively while soothing, conditioning, and nourishing the delicate underarm area.

I do have to say, this is the most soothing deodorant of the 3 that I tried. It has a creamy texture, almost like applying a hydrating balm to my underarms. This was especially important to me since I’m still doing laser hair removal on my underarms and recently, after a session the area was a little bit tender, but I had no issues using this on the skin.
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Key Features:
• Goes on clean, with no sticky wetness
• Delivers long-lasting results
• Clinically tested and dermatologist recommended
• No Harsh Chemicals (free of aluminum, paraben and propylene glycol)

I wasn’t aware that I need to be avoiding propylene glycol! Were you aware of this? There’s always something out there to be wary of… but do read up on the counterpoints too.

As for the claims? I’d say it delivers on them! It applies very cleanly and dries down quickly so I’m able to get dressed within the minute. It does leave a slight white cast on dark clothes, which is typical of most stick-type deodorants. Lately it’s been super hot in Toronto – with the humidity it feels like 38°C (100ºF) 😮 and the deodorant has kept me stink-free every single day! 😀

Another draw of this deodorant is the smell! Vanilla Grapefruit? Get out of town! The scent is described as:

An Uplifting Citrus. Essential oils of crisp grapefruit and lime combine for a crisp and fresh feeling.

I’d say it’s equal parts vanilla to grapefruit, neither overpower each other and it’s not overly sweet or tart. The scent isn’t so strong that it would interfere with your perfume, but I do catch a whiff of it during the day if I’m flailing my arms about. 😉  There are also 4 other scents available: Pure Vanilla, Vanilla Lavender, Vanilla Coconut, and Fresh Vanilla Lemon. I’m torn between either Vanilla Coconut or Fresh Vanilla Lemon to try next.
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I’ve been using this on and off for the months of April and May, then the whole month of June – so in total, I’d say this is a full 2 months’ worth of usage. And I have this much left:
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My guess is that a stick will last around 5 months of daily use.  Not too bad, cost-wise: $17 ÷ 5 = $3.40 per month.  And yes, the tube swivels up and down, no issues!

One thing I did notice though, for a natural product, the ingredient list is quite long:
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Ingredient list:
Aloe barbadensis leaf juice (Aloe juice, water/aqua), Propanediol (Corn derived), Zea mays (Corn) starch, Sodium stearate (Coconut derived), Silica, Carrageenan (Seaweed derived), Stearyl behenate (Coconut derived), Citrus medica limonum (Lemon peel oil), Inulin (Artichoke derived), Saccharomyces ferment, Alpha-Glucan oligosaccharide (Sugar derived), Yeast beta glucan, Lonicera caprifolium (Honeysuckle) flower extract, Usnea barbata (Lichen) extract, Valeriana officinalis root extract (Valerian), Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal) extract, Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea tree) flower/leaf/stem extract, Lycium barbarum fruit extract (Goji berry), Vanilla planifolia (Vanilla) oil, Botanical fragrance blend.

This list contains 3 times the ingredients of the other 2 deodorants I’ve used! But, the ingredients all look to be good – the only things that stands out as potential irritants are the lemon peel oil, and the added fragrance.

Here are some things I learned through this process:

• Sweating is not necessarily a bad thing: your body needs to cool off somehow, and a natural way is through the armpits. The concern is that the sweat can turn into B.O. That’s where an effective deodorant comes in.

• If you’re thinking of making the transition from antiperspirant to deodorants, try to time it during the cooler months – you will go through a phase of feeling wet and possibly stinky until you find the right product for you.

• Initially, instead of going cold turkey, try to alternate your antiperspirants and deodorant every other day. Then the next week, try to use deodorant for 2 days and antiperspirants for 1, and so on. This helps with easing the transition slowly.

• Persist through those wet, stinky weeks.  Don’t give up. I went through weeks of needing to wash every single item I wore. I’d say my turning point was around the 3 month mark when I noticed I wasn’t stinking anymore.

The Lavanila deodorant appeared in my favourite post, and it’s definitely my top pick of the 3 deodorants I tried as part of the transition.  So, is the hunt over?  I would definitely repurchase this but I’ll wait until Sephora VIB time to grab it on sale. I’d love to explore more deodorant options that are more accessible both in terms of availability and cost. Do you have any recommendations for deodorants from the drugstore and / or costs less than $10?

53 thoughts on “Transitioning from Antiperspirant to Deodorant: Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant”

    1. I used clinical strength stuff too! They made my armpits itch SO badly!
      I’d say hold off for now with transitioning – wait until Sept / Oct when the weather is cooler and then give it a try. In the early months I did bring my deodorant with me to work if I felt that I was getting stinky I would reapply. Good luck!

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  4. I really want to make the switch to these kind of products, but I am afraid that I wouldn’t hold on until it really works. Looks like a very good product though, It will last you a long time I guess 🙂

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    1. Yes, i gave up initially. But I’m glad I persisted. If you try again, start the process in the colder months so you’re not perspiring as much. That will help with the transition, especially in the beginning.

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  5. I’ve been thinking about trying this one for awhile, but the cost is what always got me. $3.50ish a month though isn’t bad. Especially when you consider all the bad things you’re not filling your body with!

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    1. So weird, I found 2 of your comments in my spam box!
      Yes, the initial price is painful but when I broke it down per month, it’s not terrible. It’s not bad when I consider I’ll buy a new mascara every other month at $10 a pop. 😛

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  6. My transition went very similarly to yours. At first (years ago), I just gave up and thought the deodorants didn’t work. But later, I persisted, alternated a bit, and now I use deodorants about 80-90% of the time. I do want to try Lavanila – the scents sound amazing! I’m currently using a Weleda spray and a Desert Essence stick (alternating with Dove if I feel I need an anti-perspirant).

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    1. How do you like the Weleda spray? I’ve been wanting to try that brand for a while.
      My friend recommended the the brand Lavillin, which she swears by – it’s still pricey though.
      I still keep antiperspirants handy in case for those extra active days – for the Japan trip, I used antiperspirants the whole time.

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      1. I like the Weleda a lot, but sometimes I wonder if just spraying an alcohol-based perfume on would do the same thing! I should experiment 😀 I’ll have to add Lavilin to my Well.ca wishlist!

        And yes, some days you’re just gonna get stinky, so that antiperspirant needs to stick around. So hot here, these days….aaaaagh.

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  7. Yay, awesome that you finally found the one for you! Vanilla Grapefruit and Vanilla Coconut sound YUMMY, lol.
    I think we’ve talked about this, but I sweat with little to no odor, so I use an antiperspirant. Do you think I should try transitioning to a deodorant anyways? I just can’t stand the wetness!

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    1. Hmm well antiperspirant is meant to prevent you from sweating to begin with. It’s a mental shift more than anything else. Because going to deodorants mean that you’ll be wet / sweaty. But if your sweat doesn’t turn to B.O. (lucky you, my SO is the same) then perhaps you don’t need either antiperspirants or deodorants! This is the case for my SO – he doesn’t use either and he’s fine.

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  8. Ahh! I was waiting for this post! I find that drugstores dont have too many options- I bought one from soft & silk that is horrible so my suggestion would be to stay away from that. I have been eyeing the Tom’s of Maine at shoppers and their about $8-$9.

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    1. You’re right – not many option at the drugstore, so disappointing! And I’ll be sure to stay away from that Soft & Dri. I’ve read mixed reviews on the Tom’s of Maine, but I’m game to try it if it’s a reasonable price.

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  10. I also haven’t tried this one, but I’m currently using the pure vanilla and I’m on my second mini stick. This travel size lasts a long time also. It costs AUD$22 for 2 mini stick pack. The pure vanilla scent doesn’t last very long and I hardly notice it upon application. I like it for Autumn/winter. I am also a transitionist from spray deodorant to stick deodorant and I love this product so much more than what I used in the past! 👌🏻😊

    – Caryl.
    https://carylalmelor.com

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    1. I toyed with getting the travel size one for my Japan trip but it’s $17 for just one mini stick – and at that time I wasn’t completely switched to this yet (I was still using antiperspirant on and off). I think I prefer stick deodorant more than spray as well – I’m going to continue trying more brands to see what else is out there.

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  11. my only reco is the lavillin (http://lavilin.com/). I got the boy to switch to it & now he swears by it 🙂
    He says it works better than any other deodorant that he’s ever tried and now won’t use anything else. (no more stink..! & that’s B-O-Y stink!!!) It also costs around <$20 at health food stores but the smell is less offensive to me (much more subtle) than the Lavanilla brand.

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  12. Glad this works for you now! I guess I’m just lucky that I have no problem with underarm wetness or BO. I sometimes don’t wear any and now I’m currently using Dove (powder scent) stick deodorant and it’s working well so far. 🙂

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  13. I haven’t heard of this brand but I might check it out! I had to study interactions of pthalates in the body as a part of an environmental science class and they are quite scary… but there is still conflicting evidence on most of these chemicals so it’s up to the individual to do their own research. Toxic or not, I’m pretty sure I have an allergy to most heavy-duty antiperspirants and have been searching for a natural option. I highly recommend Jason antiperspirants. I sweat a lot from anxiety and work in a restaurant and that brand can handle pretty much anything. It’s easily accessible too and available at most drugstores

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    1. Yes, a lot of these fear mongering stuff with cosmetics require more individual research, and people’s comfort level. I try to stay away from things that are optional or easily replaceable, like chemical sunscreen vs physical sunscreens.
      I’ve seen the JASON brand around here – I’ll have to check out their line. Thanks for the rec!

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    1. Yes, I hear you! I’d get that waxy film under my arms – I exfoliate that area a lot too but it never seems to clear. I did not experience that with this deodorant.

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  16. Nice: this is going straight to the top of my natural deodorants list to try. Love the fragrances 🙂
    Great tips in here, the transition phase isn’t pleasant, but I am so happy I persevered. I love the dr organic deodorant, but I am not sure that ships across the pond.
    xo Anne – Doves & Roses

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  23. I personally really enjoy the Trader Joe’s deodorant because it uses more “natural” ingredients and seems effective for both me and my boyfriend! I haven’t tried many others besides those “Secret” deodorants that I had back in high school, though. I almost bought that LaVanilla deodorant at Sephora yesterday, so tempting!! I think I would have bought it had I known exactly how much product was in there, and I’m glad you showed that in your post. Now I know!!

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